Green Pastures with Jesus is the podcast from Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church of Fairmont, MN. Here you’ll find a variety of segments to lead you to the green pastures of the Word of God, where our Good Shepherd feeds our faith.

Looking back at Genesis 4, how would you summarize the lives, accomplishments, and purpose of God’s people vs. the lives, accomplishments, and purpose of the ungodly?

Peruse Genesis 5. What dramatic theme summarizes the first centuries (millennia) of this world’s existence? Consider especially the words of Noah’s father, as compared to God’s words at the tree in Genesis 3.

Read Genesis 6.

The clear passages of Scripture help illuminate the unclear passages. What do we know about the different groups of people mentioned in these verses? (Note especially v.3 NIV footnote B)

Sons of God:

Daughters of men:

Nephilim:

Consider the following translation:

Genesis 6:4 – Tyrants were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Jeske/Lawrenz, Genesis 1-11, p. 233)

Analyze God’s statements in these opening verses. What prompted God’s judgment on the world? Where do we see evidence of God’s grace?

3) How would the world have heard about the promised Savior? What might life in the pre-Flood world have looked like? (Remember that the Tower of Babel isn’t until Genesis 11!)

From this chapter: Compare the pre-Flood peoples with the various groups of people alive today, and identify 2-3 specific encouragements for Christians today.

4) In the light of Genesis 6:5-6, what do we learn about the hearts of all people? What accounts for the difference between the godly & ungodly? (Consider also Genesis 6:9 & 8:21)

God is eternally unchanging, and knows all things. Yet we read that God was ‘grieved.’ Is this a change in God? Why or why not? Identify 2-3 ways that God’s ‘grief’ is different & greater than our own human grief.

“God’s Word teaches that the corrupt human nature, of and by itself, has no power for anything good in spiritual, divine things, not even for the smallest things, such as good thoughts. Not only is this true, but the corrupt nature can do nothing in God’s sight of and by itself. It can only sin (Genesis 6:5; 8:21).”

Formula of Concord, SD:1 (Concordia p. 513)

6. We reject the teaching that in a person the human nature and essence are not entirely corrupt, but a person still has something good in him, even in spiritual things (e.g., capacity, skill, aptitude, or ability in spiritual things to begin, to work, or to help working for something good).

7. On the other hand, we also reject the false teaching of the Manichaeans, who taught that original sin, like something essential and self-sustaining, has been infused by Satan into human nature and intermingled with it, like when poison and wine are mixed.

Formula of Concord, Epitome:1 (Concordia p. 476)

The sinful nature inheres deeply, like an ink stain in a shirt. It’s not part of the shirt itself, nor part of the essential characteristics of the shirt; yet, at the same time, we cannot scrub it out. Every person naturally born has just such a sinful nature. How does this truth affect a) our outreach & inreach b) the person of Jesus?

5) What else could God have done to curb the evil world?

Look at Genesis 3:15. Why did God keep Noah & his family alive?

6) How long will Noah have to preach & prepare the Ark? What are the terms of the covenant between God & man? (6:17-22)

Look at Hebrews 11:7, and compare Noah’s actions with our work as Christians today. What is similar? What is different?

What advice does Genesis 6 hold…

…for young people considering marriage?

…for experienced Christians worried at the sinful spiral of this world? (and the world that their kids or grandkids will grow up in?)

…for congregations & a church body holding out the Word of Life in these last days?